Game 72: Power-Play Awakening

The Blue Jackets scored two power-play goals, used two goaltenders and earned two points tonight against one of their closest competitors in a too-close-for-comfort Eastern Conference playoff race.

Blue Jackets center Ryan Johansen scored two goals – on the power play and into an empty net – to help the Blue Jackets beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-2 in Nationwide Arena.

In doing so, the Jackets avoided a third consecutive loss and jumped three spots in the standings.

An announced crowd of 15,103 watched the Jackets move out of 10th place and back into playoff position, overtaking Washington, Toronto and Detroit on their way to the first of two wild-card spots.

Amazing what two points can do.

“We needed this one badly,” said Johansen, who scored the game’s first and last goals.

“You can’t lose three straight games this time of year. We got a power-play goal early, and I think it gave us some confidence the rest of the night.”

Goaltender Curtis McElhinney replaced ill starter Sergei Bobrovsky and saved 22 of 23 shots in the final two periods to earn his first win since Jan. 11.

Brandon Dubinsky and Cam Atkinson also scored for the Blue Jackets. Defenseman James Wisniewski had three assists.

“This was fun,” McElhinney said. “I had a blast out there and the crowd was great. I have nothing but good things to say about this one.”

The Jackets have the power play to thank on this night.

Before the game, Blue Jackets associate coach Craig Hartsburg – who coaches the power play – addressed the team, assuring them that every team endures a slump at some point during the season.

But an 0-for-36 free fall –well within range of the club record (0-for-42) – couldn’t end soon enough.

“For us, it was just a crappy time (to struggle),” Wisniewski said.

“We just wanted to get some movement on the puck. Be snappy with it. And maybe now we’ll get a fortunate bounce. We haven’t had one of those forever, it seems.”

The Blue Jackets went on the power play only 42 seconds into the game and had a 1-0 lead with only 95 seconds off the clock.

Johansen skated through the right circle, fired on Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard and scored off his own rebound.

“The puck had been rimmed around and it bounced over our sticks a couple times at the blue line and you’re saying ‘Here we go again,’” Richards said. “But we just kept going. We needed that goal for a lot of reasons, and I was glad to see the guys get rewarded.”

Another power play goal at 12:46 of the second made it 2-0.

This one, clearly, was a fortunate bounce.

Dubinsky’s pass across the slot to Atkinson was directed into the net behind Howard by Red Wings defenseman Danny DeKeyser.

The Red Wings tied it on two goals by Gustav Nyquist, who beat a sluggish Bobrovsky to the backdoor to make it 2-1 in the first.

In the second, Nyquist loosed a laser at McElhinney that rebounded off Johansen’s skate and into the Jackets net.

But Atkinson’s goal off a rush at 6:58 of the third gave the Jackets the lead for good. Atkinson scored it while the goal frame was clearly off its moorings. The goal was reviewd but stood because Wings defenseman Brendan Smith was deemed to have pushed Atkinson into the post, causing it to jar loose.

Johansen’s empty net goal with 5.4 seconds remaining improved the Blue Jackets to 7-1-1 in their last nine games against the Red Wings. The Jackets are 6-0-1 in their past seven home games against Detroit.

There was no Bobrovsky to embrace at the horn. He began suffering from flu-like symptoms late last night and skipped an optional gameday skate to be treated with multiple IV bags. It prompted the Blue Jackets to make a last-minute recall of goalie Mike McKenna from minor-league Springfield in case McKenna was needed to back up McElhinney.

But that didn’t happen.

“I can say even if I feel a little bit like I can play I’m going to try it,” Bobrovsky said. “I like to compete.”

For one period, he did.

“Energy-wise, it didn’t look like he had the quickness that we normally see from him and with good reason,” Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said. “He came off after the first and (trainer) Mike Vogt came back and said he’s in the bathroom and he can’t go any more.”

Enter McElhinney, rarely used since Bobrovsky returned from a groin injury in January.

“He was great, coming into a tough situation and playing in a huge game,” Richards said. “Curtis made some huge saves for us. In a big, high-pressure game, he looked calm.”

Bobrovsky has made 19 straight starts, two fewer than the club record 21 made by Marc Denis in 2001-02.

Bobrovsky said he expects to make it 20 in a row on Friday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“I have to get some good rest and I’ll be ready,” he said.

Side dishes

-- Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard was none too pleased with the ruling by NHL referee Chris Rooney to allow Atkinson’s goal: “I guess it’s something to remember here and keep in the back of our minds. If you knock the net off, just throw it in there. It should count.”

-- Red Wings coach Mike Babcock on the matter: “It doesn’t matter what I think, obviously. They made a decision. I thought when the net was off, the goal didn’t count. But they evidently think that our guy pushed their guy in, so it’s a goal. There’s no sense disputing that. we had to get one more goal.”

Awarded Goal - In the event that the goal post is displaced, either deliberately or accidentally, by a defending player, prior to the puck crossing the goal line between the normal position of the goalposts, the Referee may award a goal.

In order to award a goal in this situation, the goal post must have been displaced by the actions a defending player or goalkeeper, the puck must have been shot (or the player must be in the act of shooting) at the goal prior to the goal post being displaced, and it must be determined that the puck would have entered the net between the normal position of the goal posts.

When the goal post has been displaced deliberately by the defending team when their goalkeeper has been removed for an extra attacker thereby preventing an impending goal by the attacking team, the Referee shall award a goal to the attacking team.

The goal frame is considered to be displaced if either or both goal pegs are no longer in their respective holes in the ice, or the net has come completely off one or both pegs, prior to or as the puck enters the goal.

-- Atkinson’s goal was his fifth game-winner of the season, tied with Nick Foligno for tops on the team.

-- The Blue Jackets are off on Wednesday. Entirely off. They’ll return to practice on Thursday to prepare for Friday’s game vs. Pittsburgh.

-- Wisniewski, with three assists, how has 6-36-42 on the season. He’s three points short of Jaroslav Spacek’s franchise mark for points by a blue-liner.

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